Pacelli 8th grader regional spelling bee champion
Published 8:14 am Thursday, February 28, 2019
A Pacelli eighth-grader is the Southeast Minnesota Spelling Bee Champion.
Neha Thawani Nanda was declared the champion after correctly spelling the word “patronage.”
Neha advances to the 92nd annual Scripps National Spelling Bee from May 26 – June 1. She won a trip (for herself and one adult) to Washington, D.C. She also received a first place trophy, “Webster’s Third New International Dictionary,” 2019 United States Mint Proof Set, a one-year subscription to Britannica Online Premium and “Valerie’s Spelling Bee Supplement Booklet.”
Neha Thawani Nanda.
Photo provided
Shreemayi Undavalli, a seventh-grade student from St. Mary’s Owatonna, was the first runner-up and Josie Koenigs, an eighth-grade student from Chatfield, was the second runner-up.
Twelve spellers (six from each Regional Spelling Bee) competed in the Final Spelling Bee on Wednesday at the Southeast Service Cooperative in Rochester. These 12 students were narrowed down from 75 students from 36 districts in southeast Minnesota who participated in the two Regional Spelling Bees earlier this month.
Other students participating in the Southeast Minnesota Final Spelling Bee were: Johanna Herfindahl-Quint ,Kasson-Mantorville; Alex Howard, Lake City; Ellie Anderson, Lanesboro; Allie Hoffert, Northfield; Robby Curtiss, Plainview-Elgin-Millville; Lillie Van Buskirk, Rochester Catholic; Isha Kapoor, Rochester Friedell; Isaac Nerstad, Spring Grove and Mira Paul, St. Charles.
